Skills:

Week 37	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Week-end
Heeling and obedience	Cone-to-Cone	Distance	Distance	Cone-to-Cone	Distance
Durations	Mat – ok	Settle	Crate	Sit	Down	Settle
Lazy Leash	Step 1 – ok	1	1	1	1
Come	Step 3: up to 15 m family	Step 4: leash	Step 4: leash	Step 4 family	Step 4 family	various proofing

• Heeling – practicing around the cones, and figure 8’s. It’s just about building up reinforcement history. Using a hand touch to get him into position while I was walking. Heel cue from 3-4 meters away. He does very well – he just has a tendency still to go wide with the front quarters and target with his hind flank instead (so he ends up standing behind me). Did a precision session later, clicking for shoulder touch.
• Durations – 60 sec mat, almost fell asleep. Paired Settle with a little bit of moving distraction.
• Come 2 – “Here!” up to 15 m for leash. Variable results, if we don’t have obvious treats. Currently at 4-5 meters at most.
• Lazy Leash – step 1 pressure; some minor understanding, when he’s not trying to lick my hand. At least he’s not trying to bite it.

Other stuff: We were both too tired to train much on Monday/Tuesday – and then he wakes up to the pouring rain today. Well. At least he gets to work on NOT being reinforced every time he puts his snoot on my keyboard. (“BORING MUM!!!”)

He did ring the outdoor bell properly for once, though, when he actually needed something outside. Maybe he’s finally caught on? (Reminds me of the Steps to Success comment on potty bells; “Don’t DING teach DING border collies DING DING to ring a DING bell DING!!”)

Practiced the about-turn; asked for a Surround Me, while I turned the opposite way, and ‘gathered him up’ with a hand touch at the end. It came along really nice and flowing.